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The Hays Office

© Ken Nared

Images and of course movies in particular have always had a strong influence on the mind of human beings. The fact that desired or forbidden visions can be viewed again and again to satisfy our desire gives us power over our world primitive man could only dream about. It wasn't only the early filmmakers who realized what power they held in their hands, preachers and moral leaders who were always on the outlook for so called corrupting influences looked upon movies as something from the devil. These leaders realized pressuring the studios to produce morally uplifting films wasn't working, chiefly because people weren't going to see them, so they decided to take a different tact.

Many local governments began simply refusing to let certain films be shown. Studios were powerless to do anything because at that time their power, although they were making lots of money, was limited because the old money at that time held influence in politics and the old money sided with the moralist. The producers had no choice but to set up a governing body to police themselves and ensure production of films that met with the moral tone of the day. The MPPDA, The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America was established in 1922. To helm this new creation they called on Will Hays. Hays was a well known lawyer who had helped Warren G. Harding get elected in 1920 and was a prominent elder in the Presbyterian church. Nothing would be the same after he got his hands on the motion picture industry.

The MPPDA became know as the Hays Office because of the heavy moral stamp Hays put on all film. Hays instituted a morals clause in actors studio contracts to ensure wholesome living in the private lives of people seen on screen. In 1930 Hays put in place the Motion Picture Production Code which stated what was morally acceptable in film. This code was in place until 1968 when changing public attitudes, a desire for more reality in film, caused the code to be revised. But the influences the Hays code left on film still linger. Ever wonder why Ricky and Lucy had separate beds? Thank Will Hays. Ever wonder why Clark Gable's "I don't give a damn" caused such a stir? Thank the Hays code that outlawed such language even though it was in common use by people everywhere.

The Hays code gave way to the sensible G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, that is presently used. X was replaced by NC-17 when the adult film industry began to make use of it. The present code owes it's sensible stand to Jack Valenti who has been the head of the revised MPAA since 1966. While they early censorship has given way to a system that lets a wide variety of films to be made and then lets the marketplace decide what gets supported, the shadow of Will Hays lingers and will for a long time to come.

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